Four killed as bus hits trailer in Fort Ternan tunnel

Four people were killed and scores of others injured after a bus collided with a trailer near Fort Ternan Tunnel on the Muhoroni–Londiani Junction Road in Kericho County on Tuesday morning, police have confirmed.

Kericho County Police Commander Mr James Ngetich said the crash occurred in the early hours, adding that emergency teams rushed the injured to nearby hospitals as investigations began.

The accident came amid a string of road crashes reported across the country, raising fresh concerns over road safety, stalled vehicles and enforcement of traffic rules.

In a separate incident, a bus carrying students was involved in a road crash in Kimende on Tuesday morning while transporting learners back to school. Authorities said details on injuries were still being verified.

Following the latest incidents, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) said its officers were on the ground conducting joint compliance and safety checks in multiple regions.

NTSA teams in Kisii are carrying out inspections along the Kisii–Suneka Highway, while similar operations are ongoing along the Thika Road corridor, targeting vehicle roadworthiness, driver behaviour and adherence to traffic regulations.

The authority has urged motorists to exercise caution as schools reopen, warning that speeding, fatigue and poor vehicle maintenance continue to fuel road carnage.

The accidents also reignited online debate on the danger posed by stalled heavy commercial vehicles, especially trailers.

Sam Njora while responding to NTSA said Kenya should adopt high-visibility LED warning lights for broken-down vehicles, noting that reflective triangles alone are inadequate.

“Stalled vehicles are killing people not because drivers are reckless, but because there is no proper early warning,” he said.

In many European states, parts of Asia and North America, trucks are required to carry battery-powered or vehicle-mounted flashing LED beacons that can be activated immediately during breakdowns or emergencies.

These lights emit strong, pulsing signals that are visible from hundreds of metres away, both day and night, and in poor weather such as fog or rain.

The early warning allows approaching motorists enough time to slow down, change lanes or stop safely.

Unlike reflective triangles, which depend on headlights and are often hard to see on bends, hills or tunnels, LED warning lights provide active visibility.

In countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom and Japan, the use of LED hazard beacons has significantly reduced rear-end and pile-up crashes involving stalled vehicles.

Some systems are even integrated with GPS or smart hazard alerts that warn nearby drivers in real time.